1st Edition

The British, Soccer and Identity in the Caribbean Class, Race and Nation, 1908–1973

By Roy McCree Copyright 2025
288 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

288 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

288 Pages 9 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book examines the role of the British in the diffusion and development of soccer on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, in the light of issues of race, ethnicity, colour, class and national identity, in the period 1908–1973. This role was expressed in the activities of understudied organizations like the English Football Association and the British Council, as well as oil... Read more

1. Soccer, Ludic Diffusion, Development and Identity in Trinidad and Tobago  2. Loyalty, Royalty and Identity in Soccer and Society  3. Brief History of Soccer in Trinidad and Tobago, 1908–1973  4. Soccer and Social Stratification  5. Middle Classes, Professionalization and Football Pools  6. High School Soccer, Church and Public School Model  7. British Organizations: English FA, British Council and Multinational Corporations   8. Media, Soccer and Identity Formation  9. Conclusion

Biography

Roy McCree is a sociologist and Senior Fellow attached to the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) of the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago. He received his PhD in sociology from Leicester University and has a special interest in the study of sport development, sport for development and sport policy. He is a co-editor of the Routledge Companion to Applied Qualitative Research in the Caribbean.

"We owe a debt of gratitude, therefore, to Roy McCree for giving us a glimpse into the development in the Caribbean of football, his primary focus being on the diffusion of the sport in his native Trinidad and Tobago...McCree’s painstakingly researched and insightful book tells the story of how a group of imperialists used soccer in an attempt to consolidate their rule and also how once colonized people were able to commandeer the same sport to help to change their world." - Alan Bairner, Loughborough University, UK, Soccer and Society

“A major strength of McCree’s study is the way in which it fills the gap in the existing literature regarding the role played in the diffusion process by institutions, especially British multinational corporations, what McCree depicts as BMNCs (e.g., United British Oilfields, Shell), the British Council, and England’s Football Association” - Peter J. Beck, Kingston University, Sociology of Sport Journal

 “The depth of research, the bold methodologies, the conceptual analysis, and the convincing argument of Roy McCree ensure that this book is without doubt a major contribution to our understanding of the historical and sociological significance of football culture(s) in the Caribbean.” – Alan Tomlinson, Brighton University, Sport in History